By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — A few years ago, I was disappointed with what Broadway had to offer. Everything could have easily been titled: “Rehashed Nostalgia: The Musical!”
Then I heard about In the Heights, a musical about life in Washington Heights in New York. The score is an eclectic mix of hip-hop, rap, jazz, salsa and meringue. Finally, a breath of fresh air. That must be why it swept the Tonys in 2008, nominated for 13 and winning 4.
As we enter the Lyceum, the lobby is filled with works from a local art project: Writerz Blok. This organization works with youth who would normally express themselves through acts of vandalism. But by giving them an outlet and guiding them in their craft, they nurture artists. I was impressed. In one picture, images and letters were distorted in a style reminiscent of Dalí. Another was like Escher with psychedelic colors.
In the Heights is the fourth collaboration between SD REP and SDSCPA (School of Creative and Performing Arts) the arts magnet of SD Unified. The program, “XChange Xperience” joins the forces of talented youth with seasoned professionals. The ambitious youth receive invaluable mentoring and the professionals grow as mentors. As an artist and educator, this gets a standing ovation in my book.
As we walk into the theatre, we are presented with a very busy corner of the barrio with graffiti laden bodegas, laundry hanging from fire escapes and the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. Hats off to Scenic Designer Sean Fanning who gave us a dark and gritty busy street corner on multiple levels with a kind of jungle gym playfulness.
The kids from SCPA were so many that the dancing spilled into the aisles, sweeping us up in the exuberant spirit of youth. Choreographer Javier Velsaco put together some hot dancing with a wild mix of styles, including break dancing. Even the fight scene was gracefully stylized.
Jai Rodriguez, comes in rapping with rapid-fire rhyming as the central character, Usnavi. A child of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Usnavi is not a typical Spanish name. It came from the first thing his father saw in New York Harbor, a steel-gray ship with “U.S. NAVY” emblazoned on her bow. He owns a tiny bodega (Spanish for Kwik-E-Mart) and dreams of making enough money to go “home” to the Carribbean, a place he’s never seen. Rodriguez’s street savvy persona is no act. This is who he is. I don’t know if he has the gravitas for a starring role, but the support of the cast kept him up.
Money is tight all around, but everyone invests in lottery tickets and kisses them for luck. Pacienca y fe (patience and faith). The payout is $96,000. It’s not enough to retire to Easy St., but for a young person with dreams, it’s enough to make a start. With big eyes and wild imaginations, they sing about what they would do with that kind of cash.
Nina, the bright star of the barrio, is home from Stanford where she has a scholarship …had a scholarship. She still had to work her way through school and life was tougher than she thought. Add to that, culture shock. In Stanford, they speak “a different English”. For example, “to weekend” is to go to their cabin in Lake Tahoe. A “cabin” is a cozy little MANSION.
There are two many stories to cover here, and this gives Heights a nice ensemble feel and a real sense of community as their lives are intertwined. The hairdressers refrain, “Tell me something I don’t know” shows how deeply they are invested in each other’s business.
The band gave a top-notch performance. If an usher hadn’t told me, I would not have pegged them for high school musicians. They sounded like the professionals they will soon be.
Desmond Newsom had me at his first smile as Benny. An instant charmer, I enjoyed his DJ style when he was finally given the radio mike at the limo company.
Our standout favorite was Roxanne Carrasco as Camilla Rosario, Nina’s mother. When she had her big moment, she absolutely owned the stage as the strong, fiery Latina she is. You can catch her in other productions as SDSU where she is earning her MFA in Musical Theatre.
Washington Heights is a diverse neighborhood and even the different flavors of Latino take pride in their various dialects of Spanish. As they wave their national flags, they struggle with the concept of who “their people” are, the islanders they left behind or the Nueva Yorkers they live with.
When Nina falls for Benny, the bright young black man who works for her parents, there are issues. Benny is an “honorary Latino” as an employee. But, as a potential son-in-law, he’s told that he’ll “never be one of us”. Sound familiar?
In the Heights is not just the story of one neighborhood, nor just the story of today’s immigrantes. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the composer and lyricist, said that Fiddler on the Roof is the “DNA” of In the Heights. People from traditional communities come together to a community defined by constant change, forcing them to decide which traditions to keep and which to let go.
If any of us can watch In the Heights and NOT hear the echoes of his own people, then he isn’t really listening.
If there is a young person in your life that you want to light up with the arts, or you need to recapture some of your own youthful optimism, then check out In the Heights playing at the Rep through Aug 25th.
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Tauber is a freelance writer specializing in the arts. He may be contacted at eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com